Studious_Noodle t1_iufuwbq wrote on October 31, 2022 at 12:24 AM

Reply to comment by Jaemzbaxter in Cool parents carrying their kid off trail and out onto Sul Duc Falls at Olympic by insom187

I was thinking how unsafe it is and how disrespectful of nature to do this. But you’re right, it also fucks up everyone else’s photos.

There’s absolutely nothing positive about people going off-trail, much less “cool.”

Jaemzbaxter t1_iug4xt3 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:42 AM

I didn’t realize until i took a class how terribly disruptive and destructive going off trail or making shortcuts is to topsoil and erosion. It’s crazy. They rate trails based on steps taken on it and so many thousand steps equals a certain amount of erosion which has to be maintained. You know this. But it was kind of an epiphany moment for me. I’m a big fan of staying on the trail now that i realize how destructive short cuts are or anything trod enough to make a trail.

lyla_ray t1_iugutn9 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:56 AM

Would love to take a class like this, where can I find this or what can I search to find something similar?

ered_lithui t1_iugxs7c wrote on October 31, 2022 at 6:40 AM

Not quite the same, but you can get lots of hands-on experience with this by volunteering with WTA and doing trail building and maintenance! You’ll learn so much and never look at a hiking trail the same way again.

Jaemzbaxter t1_iuhvkps wrote on October 31, 2022 at 1:37 PM

It was in a geology class, actually! But like the next commenter said, getting involved with trail maintenance would be perfect to learn that sorta stuff.

TX2PNW t1_iuis26l wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:21 PM

That’s really interesting. I never knew that thank you!